This invention relates to conduit coupling and connector assemblies and, more particularly, to such assemblies constructed for securing one independent conduit or tubing member to a particular location or for securing the two independent conduits or tubing members to each other in cooperating association.
In constructing or renovating residential or commercial buildings, increasing effort is required in properly distributing wiring and cables throughout the building. In this regard, numerous instances occur wherein conduits must be interconnected to each other in order to carry the wire or cable therein. Although the conduit could be threaded, with a connecting nut or sleeve mounted to both ends for securing the conduits to each other, such a construction is time consuming and labor intensive. As a result, a quick, easily employed EMT tubing or rigid conduit coupling or connector has long been sought in the industry.
Although numerous prior attempts have been made for providing a coupling/connector of this nature, wherein threaded engagement is eliminated, such prior art constructions have been unable to satisfy the industry need. Typically, these prior art constructions all suffer from the common problems of high cost, inability to provide reliable interconnections, and difficulty of assembly. Consequently, although prior art couplings and connectors exist in this field, prior art systems have not been widely used due to their inherent expense and difficulties.
In addition, many of these prior art products are difficult to employ, requiring the users to exercise extreme care in effectively engaging and securing a desired conduit or tubing member to the connector assembly. As a result, these prior art systems have been unable to satisfy the needs existing in the industry.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a conduit coupling and connector assembly which is easily employed by the user in a simple, straightforward manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a conduit coupling and connector assembly having the characteristic features described above which allows any desired conduit or tubing member to be quickly and easily telescopically inserted into the conduit coupling and connector assembly while also providing secure, locking engagement thereof.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a conduit coupling and connector assembly having the characteristic features described above which is capable of being produced inexpensively, thereby achieving a product which is low in cost and highly effective.
Other and more specific objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
By employing the present invention, all of the difficulties and drawbacks found in the prior art have been eliminated and a simple, easily use, inexpensive conduit coupling and connector assembly is achieved. In the present invention, the conduit coupling and connector assembly comprises a single, elongated, hollow, cylindrically shaped housing member and locking rings or washers mounted at the ends of the housing member.
In one embodiment, the connector assembly is constructed for receiving the free ends of two separate and independent conduits and securely affixing the two conduits in co-axial, aligned, cooperating relationship with each other. In an alternate embodiment, a single conduit or tubing member is securely mounted to the connector assembly for positioning the conduit or tubing member in a precisely desired location.
By employing the simple, easily manufactured conduit coupling or connector assembly of the present invention, with its cooperating housing member and locking washers or rings, a quickly and easily achieved, secure engagement of one or two conduits or tubing members in a precisely desired location is attained. Furthermore, the assembly is realized by merely telescopically inserting the conduit or tubing member into the coupling after assembly, where the conduit or tubing member is securely engaged in a position which prevents axial removal of the conduit or tubing member therefrom. As a result, the desired permanent interengagement and cooperating relationship of these components is realized.
In addition, the conduit coupling and connector assembly of the present invention may be implemented using various alternate embodiments for either the locking rings or washer or for the housing member. However, regardless of the alternate embodiment employed, the housing member of the conduit coupling and connector assembly of the present invention typically incorporates a first, hollow, cylindrically shaped conduit receiving section and at least one, enlarged, annular flange portion formed, at least, at one end of the conduit receiving section. In the embodiment constructed for securing the two separate and independent conduit or tubing members to the connector assembly, the receiving section is constructed with a sufficient length for enabling two conduits to be inserted therein, and the terminating end of each section incorporates an enlarged annular flange portion.
The second component incorporated into the conduit coupling and connector assembly of the present invention is the locking ring or washer. In this regard, several alternate constructions can be employed for the locking ring/washer. In one embodiment, a flat, thin, locking ring or washer is employed which is securely and immovably engaged with the inside surface of the flange portion by the frictional forces provided by the frictional contact between the outer diameter of the ring/washer and the surface defined by the inner diameter of the flange portion. If desired, staking of the locking ring/washer in the desired position can be employed.
In order to assure that the conduit or tubing member is securely engaged with the coupling and connector assembly of the present invention, when inserted in the conduit receiving section of the housing, the locking ring/washer incorporates a plurality of fins radially extending inwardly from the inside diameter thereof. In addition, the radially extending fins are positioned in cooperating association for providing the desired locked engagement with the outer surface of the conduit or tubing member when inserted therewith. In this way, a quickly and easily assembled and manufactured construction is realized which has been found to be extremely effective and efficient in achieving the desired goals.
In an alternate embodiment, the locking ring/washer may incorporate a flat, thin, flange member for peripherally surrounding the outer edge of the locking ring/washer. In this construction, an enlarged surface area is provided for frictionally engaging the flange portion of the housing member. Furthermore, in a further alternate embodiment, a locking finger may be formed in the flange member for further engaging the inside surface of the flange portion.
In a still further alternate embodiment, the housing member is constructed with a plurality of slots formed in the flange portion, peripherally surrounding the flange portion in juxtaposed spaced, relationship to each other. In addition, the locking ring/washer is constructed with a plurality of tabs radially extending outwardly, with each tab being positioned and constructed for mating engagement in a slot formed in the flange of the housing member. In this way, secure locked engagement of the locking ring/washer is realized.
In a further construction of this embodiment of the present invention, the locking ring/washer may be formed with a substantially flat circular shaped plate which incorporates the outwardly extending tabs formed on the outer surface thereof and inwardly extending tabs formed on the inside surface thereof, for providing the desired locked engagement with the conduit or tubing member inserted therein. Regardless of which embodiment of this construction is desired, assurance is provided that any conduit or tubing member inserted therein is securely engaged and maintained in locked interconnection with the housing member of the conduit coupling and connector assembly.
The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.